The Communications Authority of Maldives (CAM) has issued a request for proposal for the launch and operation of a new satellite.
The regulator did not reveal any details of the budget to be spent on the project, but gave a deadline for submissions of…
The Communications Authority of Maldives (CAM) has issued a request for proposal for the launch and operation of a new satellite.
The regulator did not reveal any details of the budget to be spent on the project, but gave a deadline for submissions of 31 January 2013, according to local media reports citing the official tender document, which is in Dhivehi.
The regulator was not available for comment at time of going to press.
The RfP stated that the project would entail securing the orbital slot, manufacturing, launching and operating the satellite.
The regulator also said that it would be better for the island nation to have a domestic satellite to provide revenues as the current expenditure on foreign satellite service providers was a financial burden for the country.
Satellite plays a key role in providing communications in the Maldives archipelago, with the Inmarsat BGAN system offered though CAM, and DTH services via AsiaSat, Apstar and Thaicom satellites.
The Asia-Pacific region has been an area of focus for satellite operators in recent times. As SatelliteFinance reported in October, SES ordered a new satellite to provide DTH services to Northeast Asia, South Asia and Indonesia, alongside maritime communications for vessels in the Indian Ocean.
